1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein relate to a probe card having probe needles to come into contact with corresponding electrode pads of a semiconductor chip at the time of conducting an electrical test on the semiconductor chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, probers are used to conduct an electrical test on semiconductor chips. The prober includes a probe card having probe needles to come into contact with corresponding electrode pads provided on a semiconductor chip.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional probe card.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional probe card 200 includes a probe card body 201 and multiple probe needles 203.
The probe card body 201, which is a wiring board, is electrically connected to the probe needles 203. The probe needles 203 are provided on a lower surface 201A of the probe card body 201. The probe needles 203 have a spring characteristic and have a cantilever shape. At the time of conducting an electrical test on a semiconductor chip 205 using a prober (not graphically illustrated), tips 203A of the probe needles 203 come into contact with corresponding electrode pads 206 provided on the semiconductor chip 205.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are plan views of semiconductor chips to be tested with a prober.
Examples of the semiconductor chip 205 to be tested with a prober include a semiconductor chip 205-1 with the electrodes 206 in a peripheral arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 2 and a semiconductor chip 205-2 with the electrodes 206 in a matrix arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 3. (See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-49498.)
However, the conventional probe needles 203 are provided with a wide pitch J (greater than or equal to 150 μm) (FIG. 1). Therefore, there is a problem in that if the electrode pads 206 provided on the semiconductor chip 205-1 are arranged with a narrow pitch, the tips 203A of the probe needles 203 cannot be brought into contact with the corresponding electrode pads 206 provided on the semiconductor chip 205-1 with accuracy.
On the other hand, according to the semiconductor chip 205-2, the electrode pads 206 are arranged in a matrix so that their pitch is narrow. Therefore, there is a problem in that the tips 203A of the probe needles 203 cannot be brought into contact with the corresponding electrode pads 206 provided on the semiconductor chip 205-2 with accuracy. This problem is conspicuous particularly in the case of reducing the pitch for the electrode pads 206 arranged in a matrix on the semiconductor chip 205-2.